In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are being developed in the backdrop of growing environmental protection movement. As power supplies used to drive the motors of these EVs and HEVs, lithium ion secondary batteries capable of being repeatedly charged and discharged are attracting attentions.
A lithium ion secondary battery includes a stack of plural unit cells, each unit cell including sheet-shaped positive and negative electrodes with a separator interposed therebetween. The separator is impregnated with an electrolyte. The electrodes (positive/negative electrodes) and separators are repeatedly stacked in the manufacturing process.
As a technique concerning the same, a manufacturing apparatus shown in Patent Literature 1 below is proposed in terms of reduction in manufacturing time of lithium ion secondary batteries. The manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes: a first conveyor configured to convey cathode plates wrapped by separators (hereinafter, referred to as cathode packages); a second conveyor for conveying anode plates; a third conveyor configured to convey a stacked body of the cathode packages and anode plates; and a swinging device swinging two suction devices. One of the two suction devices swings between the first and third conveyors while sucking and holding the cathode packages on the first conveyor and releasing the same above the third conveyor. The other suction device swings between the second and third conveyors while sucking and holding the anode plates on the second conveyor and releasing the same above the third conveyor. With the above configuration, the two suction devices alternately release the cathode packages and anode plates above the third conveyor, so that the cathode packages and anode plates are efficiently stacked on the third conveyor.